[George Freeman]

I played Belvedere CC in Charlevoix, MI today for the first time and thought the course was well deserving of all the high praise it receives on GCA.com and elsewhere.  I thought it was a great course with fantastic green complexes; the whole course/property made you feel like you were stepping back in time.

My question is regarding the green complexes:  Does anyone have details on which green complexes are more natural and were part of the land (i.e. all the movement, etc) and which ones were created?  To my untrained eye, there were some greens that looked to definitely be created by the hand of man (which in no way means they weren't good, b/c most were fantastic!), however others looked very natural (and were even better). 

If you haven't checked out Belvedere, you should.  There are some excellent holes out there!

Cheers,

George

[BCrosby]

Belvedere is indeed a special golf course. It also piqued my interest in Willie Watson.

As I recall, people from Tom Doak's group are working on a restoration of some holes. I don't recall the details. I hope they will see this and chime in. They might be able to answer your questions.

Did you see the wonderful aerial hanging in the pro shop?

Bob

[George Freeman]

Bob,

Thanks for the heads up; it would be great if Tom D or his people would chime in.

And no, I didn't see the aerial hanging in the pro shop.  Not sure how I missed it.  What made it so good?

[BCrosby]

George -

Thinking back, the aerial might have been hanging in the main clubhouse. I didn't mean to suggest that the aerial itself was of some special quality. Like most aerials from the 1930's is shows lost bunkers, relocated tees and other things.  Especially interesting to see on a unique course like Belvedere.

Bob

[Mike_Young]

I have played Belvedere a few times and really enjoy the course......while the greens blend well with the surroundings I would assume that all of the greens were created from what I remember.....some were cut into the hillsides and even the low lying greens were developed......just a good solid golf course......

[Tim Bert]

I recently played Belvedere for the first time as well.  I agree with everyone re: green complexes.  They really turn what would be an otherwise nice course and enjoyable walk into a wonderful joy.

Here are a few photos of some of my favorites:

1st


4th


7th


11th


12th


Approaching the 16th


A closer look at the 16th

[Adam Clayman]

The photo is in the pro shop. It shows the wonderful shapes of those bunkers. I only toured the course but from my untrained eye all of them looked constructed. The 16th reminded me of many modern green complexes but the difference was that feeling was only that one green. Where on modern designs that look would be on nearly every green. I was so enamored with the place I went in and told the head pro if they'd let Tom or Mike restore those bunker shapes I'd write him a check right there. Sadly joining is more complicated than that. 

[Thomas MacWood]

[Jfaspen]

I spent a lovely afternoon on Belvedere this past May and can't wait to return to the course.  I found the greens to be enjoyable, but possibly tricky if the speed was up.  At -3 for the back 9, I came to the 16th green and almost putted off the hill to the side. 
It's a great course with an awesome but simple clubhouse.

jf

[Tom_Doak]

George:

My associate Bruce Hepner has been going up to Belvedere on and off for the last 6-8 years.  I have only gone up to play it three times and compared notes with Bruce, but my impression is that all of the greens are at least partially created.

They found an old aerial about three years ago which shows that the fairway bunkering was startlingly different in the 1930's than it is today ... I would say that half of them were in places that a modern architect would be highly unlikely to bunker.  The club is still deciding what to make of that and whether to restore the bunkering to what it was.

[George Freeman]

Tom,

Thanks for the insight.  Off the top of your head, do you recall any specific holes that had fairway bunkers in the places you mentioned that are no longer there?


The second to last black and white photo looks to be the par 3 4th green, with the par 5 5th in the back ground.  I don't recall any of the bunkers between 4 and 5 being there presently (which to me wouldn't be "normal" spots to place  bunkers as Tom stated), and I also don't see the large bunker complex at the outside of the dogleg on 5.  Interesting...

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